By: Cathryn Macey
Tis the night before (the night before) Christmas and Father Christmas is in need of some serious self-care. Staring down the barrel of one of the world’s most gruelling night shifts, Father Christmas decides to take it easy on December 23d.
Meeting him for the first time that morning, a largely young and lively audience are treated to an entire day with Santa as he mentally and physically prepares for the most magical night of the year…. Christmas Eve!
Unlike Mel Smith’s slightly grumpy vocal portrayal of Father Christmas in the animated version of the Raymond Briggs’ books, this version (Nathan Masterson) is quite jolly!
The mundane becomes magical when Father Christmas is joined by charismatic and skilled puppeteer, Christopher Finn and musician and vocalist, Stacey Ghent. Together the trio recreate Father Christmas’ pre-Christmas routine.
When Father Christmas brushes and trims his big fluffy beard, Ghent rubs two coarse brushes together into a microphone to bring this moment to life. Later on, she whistles to mimic the sound of an old fashion kettle boiling and plays the French horn in time to a short slap stick routine involving Father Christmas and his sleigh.
Similarly, Finn moves Father Christmas’ dog playfully around the stage as he gets up to all kind of mischief. These simple but effective physical comedy skits completely delight the young audience and Father Christmas’ dog definitely gets the biggest laugh when he refuses to give him his boot back!
There are relaxed performances available but this routine show feels relaxed already due to its cosy atmosphere and gentle but entertaining pace. Excitement levels start to peak as the red suit finally gets dusted off and wriggled in to. The gloves go on, the deer are placed in situ and the grand ascent begins…..
Audible gasps and squeals bounce around The Drum during this incredibly exciting scene. There are a few additional surprises added in from last year which give some extra sparkle to this already wonderful moment. Personally speaking, this production is way more enjoyable than any other encounter with Father Christmas you can have and if you could bottle and sell this particular part of the play, you could probably become a billionaire!
The set is also exquisite. Almost a character within its own right, it comes alive even more when Father Christmas tip toes on top of it before becoming momentarily trapped in a chimney. More laughter erupts yet again as Father Christmas cheerfully carries out his duties. Inspired by the original illustrations, the set is very much in keeping with Raymond Briggs’ book. However, despite the visual acknowledgement of the play’s 20th century roots, this is a show that feels fresh, fun and festive due to the clever way it’s performed.